COURSE INFORMATION

? Constant technological disruption and new discoveries in science influence every aspect of our lives, meaning that there has never been a better time than now to safeguard your future career with scientific knowledge and practical skills. With 20 majors to choose from, UNE’s Bachelor of Science is flexibly delivered by experts in research and teaching. Tailor your degree towards generalist or specialist science, while developing a broad scientific base and refining your abilities in critical analysis and complex problem solving. Our majors span the pure and applied sciences, with specialisation available in traditional disciplines and emerging fields.

Why study the Bachelor of Science with UNE?

At UNE, we have a long tradition of delivering innovative science education. Whether you want to position yourself at the forefront of innovation and discovery in science, or you are passionate about understanding how the world works, our Bachelor of Science provides you with your choice of 20 majors, with the opportunity to complete a second major or a complementary minor in communications, business or statistics. Our students come from academically diverse backgrounds, and go on to become active contributors in industry, education, government and research.

Whichever discipline you choose, you will be learning with industry leaders. UNE’s research in many areas of science has been rated above world average with agricultural and veterinary science, environmental, and mathematical science rated well above world standard, by the Australian’s Research Council’s most recent Excellence in Research Australia report. Our researchers are internationally renowned and our collaborations with industry and government produce research of national and international significance.

Our hands-on approach and small class sizes set us apart. We encourage and nurture creativity in a supportive, inquiry rich learning environment, allowing you to build confidence, knowledge and skills through active engagement with your peers and academic staff. UNE’s Bachelor of Science gives you the freedom to choose your direction and develop future fit skills in communication and complex problem solving.

What makes our course different?

Our approach to science education is research informed. We integrate up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge, developing your understanding of foundational science concepts, experimental tools, data analysis and critical thinking. UNE’s Bachelor of Science gives you opportunities to:

• Balance study with your existing commitments. With options to study online or on campus, full time or part time, our course is highly flexible. We utilise the most modern technology for our purpose-recorded online lectures, ensuring that your experience is optimised, however you choose to study. As Australia’s longest continuous provider of distance (now online) education, we are experts in the delivery of online learning.

• Equip yourself with complementary skills that are in demand in the workplace. Our minors have been developed in response to feedback from industry and ensure that you have practical knowledge that goes beyond your science specialty. Be start-up ready with a minor in business, translate your results effectively with a communications minor, or add value to almost all scientific disciplines with a statistics minor.

• Convert your theoretical knowledge into real-world practice, with a personalised approach from our academic staff. On-campus laboratory classes (with mandatory intensive schools for some online units) and a dynamic learning environment that allows you to learn actively with your peers and teachers all contribute to the development of your applied skillset.

• Access world class facilities. As a student you will have opportunities to learn from hands-on experience and access state-of-the-art equipment and facilities which are utilised in multidisciplinary research and teaching.

• Study overseas for a trimester with one of our international partner universities and get credit towards your degree while you broaden your scope with a global perspective. We also offer opportunities for short term study and work-based learning.

• Animal Science and Veterinary Studies

• Applied Physics

• Archaeology

• Biochemistry/Biotechnology

• Biodiversity

• Botany

• Chemistry

• Computational Science

• Forensic Science

• Genetics

• Geography

• Geoscience

• Mathematics

• Medicinal Chemistry

• Microbiology

• Neuroscience

• Palaeobiology

• Physiology

• Psychology

• Zoology

Course structure

• To qualify for the award a candidate must pass units to the value of 144 credit points with not more than 60 credit points at 100-level; at least 36 credit points at 300-level and not more than 12 credit points at 400-level from units that comprise the Majors including 12 credit points from units other than AFM, ARPA, BUS, ECON, GEPL MM, PSYC and QM units. A maximum of 24 credit points with not more than 12 credit points at 100-level may be completed from any units offered by the University.

Career outcomes

UNE’s Bachelor of Science equips you with in-demand skills and provides you with a diverse range of exciting career opportunities in industry, government, business, teaching and research.

 Some of the roles you could consider include:

• medical scientist or laboratory technician

• research scientist with government agencies such as CSIRO and ANSTO

• environmental protection field officer

• resource and land management

• pharmaceutical research and development  

• teaching and education (via our Master of Teaching (Secondary Science) or a Master of Teaching (Primary), or consider our Bachelor of Education (Secondary Science) as a quicker route to teacher registration)

• sustainable agricultural production.

CAREER OUTCOMES

• To have an understanding that: - Science encompasses both a body of knowledge and a reliable process of discovery. It is founded upon the recognition of fundamental laws that make nature systematic and reproducible. - Scientists observe, measure, classify and perform experiments upon the natural world. They employ scientific methods to test hypotheses and use empirical evidence to support or refute their hypotheses. The natural variability, or uncertainty, inherent in the natural world means that scientific conclusions are reliable but contestable: they may be revised or modified as new evidence emerges. Scientists are curious about the natural world and are creative in formulating hypotheses and in designing approaches to problem solving. - Mathematics is used in science to model real-world systems and scientific data are often analysed using statistical methods. - Science operates within a paradigm of peer review and replication that provides a collective responsibility for the reliability of scientific knowledge. Scientists have a responsibility to communicate the outcomes of their work accurately and without bias to their peers and to society. - Science is embedded within a context that reflects both the history of scientific endeavor and the culture of present society. Scientists generate and build knowledge, develop technologies, investigate and solve problems.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• demonstrate a coherent understanding of science by articulating the methods of science and explaining why current scientific knowledge is both contestable and testable by further inquiry and the role and relevance of science in society;

• exhibit depth and breadth of scientific knowledge by demonstrating well-developed knowledge in at least one disciplinary area with an ability to extend knowledge into one other disciplinary area;

• critically analyse and solve scientific problems by gathering, synthesising and critically evaluating information from a range of sources, designing and planning an investigation and selecting and applying practical and/or theoretical techniques or tools in order to conduct an investigation thereby collecting, accurately recording, interpreting and drawing conclusions from scientific data;

• be effective communicators of science by communicating scientific results, information or arguments, to a range of audiences, for a range of purposes and using a variety of modes; and

• be accountable for their own learning and scientific work by being independent and self-directed learners; working effectively, responsibly and safely in an individual or team context; demonstrating knowledge of the regulatory frameworks relevant to their disciplinary area and personally practising ethical conduct.